WHY DO PEOPLE START STUDYING AT THE LAST MINUTE?
Keywords:
procrastination, last-minute studying, cramming, time management, emotional regulation, fear of failure, self-handicapping, temporal discounting, spaced repetition, academic behaviorAbstract
This article investigates the widespread academic behavior of last-minute studying, commonly referred to as cramming. The aim of the research is to identify the psychological, neurological, social, and systemic factors that drive students to delay their study sessions until just before an exam or deadline. Research methods include a review and synthesis of scholarly literature in the fields of psychology, behavioral economics, and neuroscience. The findings reveal that last-minute studying is primarily a consequence of procrastination rooted in emotional avoidance, fear of failure, self-handicapping, temporal discounting, and a lack of effective time management skills. The study also highlights the role of social norms and overloaded academic schedules in perpetuating this behavior. The conclusion emphasizes that equipping students with evidence-based study strategies and building supportive academic environments are the most effective approaches to breaking the cycle of last-minute studying.
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